rm(1) — Commands
NAME
rm − Removes (unlinks) files or directories
SYNOPSIS
rm [-efirR] [−-] file ...
The rm command removes the entries for the specified files from a directory.
FLAGS
-eDisplays a message after deleting each file.
-fDoes not prompt before removing a file that does not have write permission set, and does not display an error message if a specified file does not exist. If you specify both -f and -i when invoking rm, the flag that is specified last on the command line takes effect.
-iPrompts you before deleting each file (interactive). When you use both -i and -r, rm also prompts for removing each file, then the directory. If you specify both -f and -i with rm, the last one on the command line takes effect.
-rPermits recursive removal of directories and their contents (for cases where file is a directory).
-RPermits recursive removal of directories and their contents (for cases where file is a directory, same as -r).
--Indicates that all arguments following it are to be treated as filenames. This allows you to specify filenames starting with a − (dash).
DESCRIPTION
If file is of the directory type:
1.If you specify neither -R or -r , rm writes a diagnostic message to standard error, does nothing more with file, and goes on to any remaining files.
2.If you specify -f, rm does not remove file, and does not print a diagnostic message unless file is . (dot) or .. (dot dot), which it cannot remove.
If an entry is the last link to a file, it is destroyed. To remove a file, you must have write permission for its parent directory, but need neither read nor write permission for the file itself. If the sticky bit on the directory is set, you must be the owner of the file or superuser.
If a file has no write permission and standard input is a terminal, rm displays the file permission code and reads a line from standard input. If that line begins with y, or the locale’s equivalent of a y, rm deletes the file. If the response is anything else, rm does nothing to that file and continues with the next specified file.
The LC_MESSAGES variable determines the locale’s equivalent of y or n (for yes/no queries).
The -i flag causes rm to prompt and read the standard input even if the standard input is not a terminal. In the absence of -i, however, the prompting is not done when the standard input is not a terminal.
EXAMPLES
1.To delete a file, enter:
rm myfile
If there is another link to this file, then the file remains under that name, but myfile is removed. If myfile is the only link, the file itself is deleted.
2.To delete a file silently, enter:
rm -f core
This removes core without asking any questions or displaying any error messages. This is normally used in shell procedures. It prevents confusing messages from being displayed when deleting files that may or may not exist.
3.To delete files interactively, enter:
rm -i mydir/∗
After each filename is displayed, enter the affirmative response to remove the file; press <Return> (or anything other than the affirmative response) to retain the file.
4.To delete a directory tree interactively, enter:
rm -ir manual
This recursively removes the contents of all subdirectories of manual, then removes manual itself, asking if you want to remove each file and directory.